Michael Lindblad, the 2015 Oregon Teacher of the Year and a 1994 graduate of Linfield College, will deliver the commencement address to the Linfield class of 2016.
Commencement will be held Sunday, May 29, at 10 a.m. in the Oak Grove at Linfield.
Watch a video about Lindblad.
Lindblad is in his 20th year as a bilingual teacher and coach. He taught for three years at Lakeridge High School and the last 17 at Gresham High School. He was named Oregon Teacher of the Year by the Oregon Department of Education for his commitment to educational equity and his focus on preparing all students for the rigors of college and the workplace. Lindblad developed his school’s International Baccalaureate history program, and then advocated for intensive outreach to recruit more students of color into the course. The global studies curriculum he developed was based on travel and cultural experiences on four continents. He designed a special history class for English language learners that paired high expectations with an appreciation for their own language and culture.
Lindblad was also named the 2016 OEA/NEA Oregon State Teacher of the Year and has received numerous other honors and awards. In 2013, the Oregon Council of Social Studies recognized him as Oregon Social Studies Teacher of the Year. From 2000 through 2015 he created the Humanitarian Project at GHS and taught the project to regional and national audiences. He developed and led the first-ever Oregon elective proficiency program, and served as a mentor teacher for more than 35 interns at three colleges.
Lindblad graduated from Linfield with degrees in history and mass communication. He participated in the study abroad program in Nottingham, England, while researching Roman ruins in Africa and Europe. He was team captain of the baseball team, all-league pitcher, and Most Inspirational Player four years in a row at Linfield College. After teaching for three years, Lindblad wanted to improve his Spanish language skills, and work more closely with Latino students. He took a Linfield Division of Continuing Education (now Online and Continuing Education) class in Peru, taught by Professor Tom Love, and remained in Peru to continue his language studies. After returning to the U.S., he accepted a position at Gresham, which serves students from some 20 countries. He has a master’s degree in teaching from Lewis & Clark College.
His love of baseball and teaching continues on the field. He has been a baseball/pitching coach for 17 years, helping lead teams to state titles, league titles, and giving life lessons to players.
